Floats of Solidarity
Access to drinking water has significantly improved for the residents of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, and the surrounding areas, thanks to the inauguration of the Drinking Water Supply Project for Yaoundé and Its Surroundings from the Sanaga River (PAEPYS) on 20 August. The project draws water from the Sanaga River and treats it at the Batchenga Plant, which is located around 65 km from Yaoundé.
The inauguration ceremony, which was presided over by the Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba, was attended by several members of the Cameroonian government and personalities from various sectors. Among them were the Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon Wang Yingwu, Managing Director of Cameroon Water Utilities Corp. (CAMWATER) Blaise Moussa, as well as other officials. A large crowd from Batchenga also came to express their gratitude to China and all the financial and technical partners of the project.
The new plant, with an initial capacity of 300,000 cubic metres, can be expanded to 400,000 cubic metres per day, and will help to alleviate the shortage of drinking water in Yaoundé and the nearby areas.
Water for all
PAEPYS is a large-scale project that includes the construction of a water treatment plant, a storage reservoir and a drinking water distribution network. In his speech, Essomba stressed the importance of PAEPYS for the socio-economic development of the region and thanked the technical and financial partners, in particular China, for their contribution to the project. PAEPYS embodies the commitment of the government of Cameroon to improve access to drinking water for all, especially in urban and peri-urban areas.
The minister also recalled the central role of water in human life. “As we all know, water is life. That’s why access to this precious liquid is a global concern and remains a major health and economic issue. Water is essential for public health and for the socio-economic development of every nation. That’s why access to water was recognised as a fundamental human right by the United Nations in 2010.”
The people of Batchenga expressed their immense satisfaction through their spokesman Gabriel Sylvain Essoa Etoga, the chief of Batchenga Community. “We are very happy because we will no longer have problems with access to drinking water. I would like to thank the Chinese government, which has always supported our community. The traditional chiefs of our region welcome this cooperation with China, which has already carried out many other social initiatives in addition to this major drinking water project,” he said.
In his speech, Wang emphasised the strength of Sino-Cameroonian relations. “Despite the considerable distance between China and Cameroon, the bonds of friendship and collaboration between our two nations have withstood the challenges of time and the vicissitudes of global events, becoming ever more robust and profound. The project to supply drinking water to Yaoundé and the surrounding area is an important symbol of Sino-Cameroonian cooperation and addresses a vital need for the people of Cameroon,” Wang noted.
The success of this project is due to the advanced technology provided by the China National Machinery Industry Corp. (Sinomach). Guo Jinlong, director of Sinomach Cameroon, expressed his honour of being able to collaborate on this project. “I am proud to see Sinomach’s contribution to Cameroon’s development. We have collaborated closely with our Cameroonian colleagues in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding. We are committed to continuing our efforts to support the development of this country.”
Decisive support
The provision of drinking water was also a key topic of discussion between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya.
Moussa, a member of the presidential delegation visiting China, was responsible for negotiating new financing for water supply projects in several cities in Cameroon, including Douala, which has a population of around 5 million.
Moussa took the opportunity to provide an update on the current state of water distribution in Cameroon. He highlighted that, thanks to the PAEPYS, the country now produces 1.25 million cubic metres of water a day. However, he emphasised that the challenge now is to ensure that all households have access to drinking water. He explained that the objective of the delegation’s visit to China is to identify reliable partners in China with whom they can establish mutually beneficial partnerships to achieve this goal.
He also spoke of China’s support for the mega project to supply drinking water to Douala, with a planned capacity of over 400,000 cubic metres per day. A memorandum of understanding between Export-Import Bank of China and CAMWATER is due to be signed in the next few weeks to bring this project to fruition.
At the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing from 4 to 6 September presented an invaluable opportunity for President Xi and President Biya to reaffirm the enduring and mutually beneficial relationship that has existed between their countries since 1971. During the meeting, President Xi expressed his desire to develop the Sino-Cameroonian relationship into a comprehensive strategic partnership. In response, President Biya applauded this enduring friendship and called for a strategic strengthening of the relationship, notably through additional financing to build a stronger economy.
President Biya also requested China’s assistance in implementing phase 2 of infrastructure projects, including the Douala-Yaoundé and Édéa-Kribi motorways, and the Ngaoundéré-Garoua and Maroua-Kousseri trunk roads, and phase 3 of the Kribi deepwater port. Furthermore, the Cameroonian President reaffirmed Cameroon’s commitment to the One-China Principle and extended an official invitation to President Xi to visit Cameroon.
